SAIDEE.....

There is a new additon to the pasture.

Her name is SAIDEE!

She comes to me as a free lease 

from my instructor.

They love her dearly,

and knew that I missed

Izzy's presence in the pasture.

Saidee can't give lessons, nor can she do gaming or hard riding.

She can only do light riding.

Which is perfect for me,

because my riding is mostly walking,

and sometimes a trot, and not for any distance.

When Saidee was 3, she got a very small one inch cut on the back of her front hoof.

It was just deep enough, it injured the tendon.

She is not in any pain, and has a slight limp.

Also Saidee developed a habit of 'sucking wind'.

Read about Neville Bardos and his wind sucking horse HERE.

She started doing it when she was recovering from her tendon injury.

Mostly out of boredom, because recovery was quite a long time.

It does not hurt her.

She won't get sick from it.

She does have a collar that keeps her from doing it,

but with all my sprinklers I just don't want her rubbing her head on one, and getting it caught.

She is quite cute about it, cause I will catch her doing it, and say:

"Saidee! STOP IT!" 

She will turn her head and look at me with this look of:

"Were you talking to me?"

 I was offered to have Saidee,

because her mama knew she would get lots of love and attention in my pasture.

And I need Saidee.

Libby is awesome, but she is not an attention hoe.

I miss that, and Saidee fits the bill.

As a 'new' mom, of course I was very nervous, and I agreed to a trial 

stay at my house.

I N T R O D U C I N G:

SAIDEE!

She is quite plain in color,

but she has a blaze that is oh so cute.

Her mane and tail are a flaxen color that sets her aside in the beauty department.

 She is also, Fluid Beauty when she moves!

Her mama said that she is the only horse she knows of that gets dreds in her MANE!

Saidee is very inquisitive.

Knows her name.

Loves attention!

The first to greet me!

Will hang out with ya.

AND....

I can lead her with just my hand under her chin!

HOW AWESOME IS THAT?

Saidee loves to take passengers for a ride.

Enjoys a good belly scratch and will scratch your back/butt in return.

Enjoys lots of kisses, and will lick your hand in appreciation.

Saidee, though, 

has not made very many points with her pasture mates she has moved in with.

LIBBY: "Shed hog! That use to be mine till you moved in! At least I would share with the donkey's!"

Saidee:  "Get use to it!"

As time has moved on, Saidee WILL ALLOW one of the others to share...

but only ONE at a time!

Next on the adjenda is to add onto the lean-to so all can have shade.

They like it in there, because for some reason, 

the flys do not bug them in there.

So far, Saidee is a keeper.

Libby, Star and Buddy might think otherwise.......

Sometimes it's best to know nothing!

"Hey, Libby, What they doin'"

Libby: "Do I REALLY have to explain it to her?"

Linky Links: A NEW Gadget!

LINKY LINKS!   (click to go see it)

My New favorite thing in blogland!

There is a new thing in blog world. I found it on one of my favorite blogs:

The D.I.Y. Showoff

I have been playing around with it, and since it is rumored, the

GFC (Google Friend Connect) is going to go away,

I saw this, and am preparing for when that happens.

Kind of like 12-12-2012, You know when the world is going to end!

(Are YOU prepared?)

Anyway, I signed up.  It is free!

I put the link on my blog,

And,

GUESS WHAT?

All my GFC followers went away....:(( so sad...

BUT NEVER FEAR!

You can follow me again.

This time it is much, much easier.

My last following I had 51 people.

Lets work to make it MORE THAN THAT!

Of course you can still fill in the EMAIL UPDATES

but if you do that, you will get an email from "Feed Burner" that you will need to click

on the verification link IN THE EMAIL YOU RECIEVE to activate it.

It is to cut down on all you "spammers" out there in web land.

Any way, The D.I.Y. Showoff is showing off this new gadget by having a give away!

Go visit her blog:

http://www.diyshowoff.com/

and maybe she can give away some stuff to you!

Good luck,

and Please

Don't forget to follow my blog!

(Star said to follow so you can see if the maid is working hard to get me a buddy!)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Star is getting bored!

Star: "Guess what I did today?"

Libby: "I didn't do it! I had no part in it!"

Star: "You like my redecorating skills?"

Me: "STAR! You will cut yourself with this metal!"

 

So I blocked it up.

Next day I come home to this!

I don't know how,

but she had moved that tire onto her feed bin!

Libby: "I think Star needs a partner in crime so I don't get blamed for helping her!"

Me: "I'm working on it Libby but there just isn't any more Donkey's in Oregon.

and it is to costly to get one from Texas!"

 

Libby: "But you gotta work harder at it!" 

Me: "I will Libby! I promise."

Star: "I don't like these toys you gave me. I can't re-arrange and decorate with them."

Me:  "Star use your imagination! You can't tear down the shed!"

Star: "But I am trying to make more room for my new buddy.

I'm getting a new buddy? Right?"

Me: "Yes Star, I am trying to find you one."

Star: "Ok, I will go watch the Robin's then. Libby told me it is a sign that spring is around the corner. I think I will start to shed off some of this coat I grew."

Someone's baaaack!

Who's Dat?

 Star: "Who is visitin' at the neighbors?"

Libby: "They aren't visitin'. They have come back home. They have been gone for a few months."

 Libby: "Can we go play with them?"

Me: "No Libby you can not go play."

There are actually four horses all together, and Libby and Star

were very intent on watching them arrive back home.

I am just glad there is a pasture between them and us.

HAY delima

This past fall I bought some hay.

It was a good deal.

Why they even delivered it

from Touchet, Washington!

I bought 3 ton.

I was told that they hay got bleached, but it was still good hay.

Then there was some green stuff too.

And oh "she is feeding it to her SHOW HORSES!"

I started to feed it this winter.

The light colored bales looked like straw!

Were very weedy.

and Star turned her nose up at them.

Libby she eats everything so I really could not tell by her,

except she got diarrhea.

Then I broke into some of the green bales

MOLD!

Every green bale had some mold in it.

Star: "Where is all our food going?"

Libby: "I don't know. I am getting pretty worried though."

 Libby: "Those dang neighbor cows better not get it!

or there will be war!"

I did feed about a bale and a half to the cows.

But when I did that, for the next two days,

they ran over to the fence when I went out to feed.

I felt so bad for them.

So I put it on Craig's list.

46 bales of hay for $200.00.

It was snatched up in less than two hours!

I did replace the hay

with a lot better stuff,

that Star loves, and does not give Libby diarrhea.

Dang it! I hate when people LIE!

(She will not return phone calls!)

ICE Storm!

They were predicting SNOW!

4-8" of the pretty white stuff.

INSTEAD

we got ICE!

Lots of it!

 This is our driveway.

We could put ice skates on skate.

I worry sick about Libby and Star

walking on this stuff.

I can hear them as their hoof steps resound in the eerie quiet.

And if it wasn't for these wonderful boots I bought at the coast to walk in the surf with

I would be housebound and the equines would starve!

Instead I make my way out gingerly across the

inch of slick stuff, and feed.

All the while praying that Libby doesn't do anything stupid and slip and fall. 

Because if she did, she would not ever get back up.

My water faucet is safe from the ice due to a good idea by 

7MSN Ranch!

(Click to see)

 I could skate around the shop,

but I might get tripped up on the twigs.

We have Australian Willows planted for shade behind the shop

and I love those trees!

Fast Growing. Very shady.

And my most favorite is:

They do not blow over in a wind storm!

Their only down fall, is they loose small branches 

like most trees loose leaves.

But they are not big enough to do any damage.

Poor Star had Icicles hanging from her face.

Her and Libby did stay in the lean-to most of the time.

At least every time I checked on them they were in there.

All this crappy moisture came from the north and she liked to look outside.

The girls even have trouble

Walking on Water.

The promise of sunshine is on the horizon,

but then another storm is due in by tonight!

Working on Star......

What a week!

My camera took a shit dump

as you know by my last post.

Will NOT EVER buy another Sanyo product!

So this past weekend we went to 

Best Buy to check them out.

We would of bought one there, but they did not have any in stock.

So I came home and went to Best Buy on line!

Guess what?

They were $20.00 cheaper ON LINE

(Go Figure)

and

FREE SHIPPING!

So it is on its way to me! 

I can't wait to get it and try it out.

Since my last post, 

I discovered that Libby was very tender

on her belly between the front legs,

and on each of her front shoulders.

She is not a biter, but if she was,

I would of had some chunks taken out of my arm.

I figured it was due to the fact when she was running and 

slipped on the grass,

(Movie in my last post).

So today I went out and 

cleaned her feet, and touched her all over.

She was really good in the beginning,

but the more I rubbed her the more she got irritated.

Then all of a sudden, 

rubbing her with my right hand,

my left hand was shocking her!!!!!!

You know those big ass, little shocks you get

walking across the carpet and then you go and touch your computer

and you get a shock and it shorts your whole system down!

Well now I am thinking this was what was happening.

It has been cold and dry here, and the static electricity it pretty bad.

 Star looking cute as ever!

 A friend came over, and he is NEVER interested in my equines.

He is a Harley dude, and hubby's huntin' buddy.

But yesterday he wanted to pet Star.

So I gave him two cookies. One for Star and one for Libby.

At first Star ignored him.

 Star: "You got something yummy?"

 Huntin' buddy: "Yep I do!"

 Of course Libby was on it like stink on shit.

Star figured if he has a cookie he isn't all bad, and allowed a pet.

Immediate friendship was born.

I work with Star every single day.

I can't wait to get home from work, and go out to the pasture.

It calls me.

It is in my dreams.

It is an addiction!

The other day, I thought we would work on desensitizing.

This is when my camera died.

But  I did get this picture with the 'arm extension' leaning up against her.

I don't like using the word: whip.

 Here is Sydney and Sassy. They think Star is someone to play with and Star is not to keen on on that idea. I will have to work on all them, to get them to all get along. That will be later this summer.

 The neighbors chickens are a daily occurrence.

They work really hard getting bugs.

I hope they can keep up with them this summer because as mild of a winter as we have had, they should fatten up real nice.

I am going to work on clicker training Star.

Kris over at The Dancing Donkey

is working with Emma on clicker training.

She recommended a book which I have on order from Amazon

and should be here any day, as well as some clickers.

This afternoon Star and I worked, again, on getting past the gate!

She will not step foot past the gate, to go outside the pasture to go for a walk!

I can not even entice her with a cookie.

Her feet are planted right at the gate line, and no matter what I do, 

she will not budge.

So this afternoon I went to the end of the lead rope and SAT DOWN!

I studied her.

"Star I know I am not asking you correctly."

She stares at me.

I see her trying to communicate. 

Her ears are up.

She is staring a hole in me.

So I THINK!

and think some more.

A light bulb turns on!

She has problems with ALL THE GATES!

Especially the round pen gate.

So we exercise walking thru the round pen gate, and all the other gates that go from pasture side to pasture side.

The round pen gate was the worse.

She got pretty good at going thru the gate so we quit on a good note.

We will work on gates till there are no issues then we will try to go outside, once again.

So I took Libby for a walk. We went down to get the garbage can, 

and I thought she would have another fit, but no, she acted as if I 

did not even have that noise piece of plastic barrel behind me.

All the while, Star is braying and running back and forth, 

just like Poncho did!

So....this brings to mind.......

Another donkey?

So that when I go riding, 

Star isn't beating herself up by missing Libby?

Two Donkeys eat as much as one horse.

Two Doneky's take up the space as ONE horse.

I do think that Star needs a Donkey friend.

Only wished I could borrow one somewhere.......

A very Crappy Camera!

Back in March of 2010 I purchased a 

Sanyo VPC-S1415 pocket camera

for $89.81 at our local Walmart.

The purpose was to be able to put it in my pocket and

carry it around to take pictures.

On the bike.

Riding Libby.

or just because.....

I have had issues with it off and on since i got it.

Mostly it would just freeze up, and I would have to 

open the battery case and restart it.

Usually I have missed that

"Kodak Moment" by then.

 

Mine is the Pink one.

 I thought it would of lasted more than just a year and a half.

I will NEVER EVER own another SANYO PRODUCT!
Especially after some of the reviews of various Sanyo products I have read on line!
OUCH!

Click here to read some reviews!

I am going to send it back to the company,

IF

I can find an address to send it to!

With a nasty nice little letter of what I think of their product.

Anyway, onto a more delightful subject.

"STAR".

Yes, this little Donkey has hooked me big!

 

 We have been working on desensitizing.

She is afraid of EVERYTHING!

It isn't just being cautious she literally will tense up.

I don't think she has been exposed to very much in her life, which is where this will change.

I plan to take her everywhere that I take Libby, and we have a long road ahead of us.

Everyday, I go to work, and rush right home to run out and play

Donkey games.

(I am open to any ideas on some new games by the way.)

She greets me with her honking....

 You can't see much here, but you sure can hear her!

Music to my ears!

I can now walk up to her, face to face, most of the time, but I can always catch her.

Sometimes I have to wait for her to decide it is a good idea.

She was terrified of my whip, (arm extension) at first.

But now, she will stand and let me rub it all over her, and I use it to guide us on our little pasture walks.

She puts her cute little nose in the halter!

Yesterday we picked up all 4 feet, and cleaned them!

I brushed her thoroughly.  ALL OVER and UNDER!

Of course this goes without saying, that each of these sessions

costs me a pocket full of cookies. 

(Nicker treats)

So, I thought maybe we would go for a walk outside of the pasture.

You know, get a change of scenery....

Star would have NOTHING to do with crossing that gate line!

I am sure that if the gate ever got left open, she will not leave the pasture!

I have kept the "L" part of my pasture fenced off for the past month.

So the other day, I thought I would open it up.

It is the first time Star has been in this part of the pasture.

And as you watch the video,

You will see, 

Libby sees it open...

But she knows it HAS BEEN CLOSED UP!

Last minute thoughts in her head! 

(I apologize for my yelling and the quality of the video. This is also the first time, the dogs, girls have pretty much met Star and her them. Sydney was not being very nice!)

So, now I am on the hunt for a pocket camera

to take lots of pictures of Star and Libby,

and of our Motorcycle rides.

And if you are looking for me, 

check the pasture!

Most days everyday I am out there playing or just hanging with my best friends:

Libby and Star.

(And in case you are wondering, the above photo and video's were taken with 

the "crappy camera" hence the picture and sound quality.)

Trials of First time Donkey Ownership:

What NOT to give your Donkey to play with!

I repeat NOT!

I had 2 of these noodles.

As you can see, I have 1 and 3/4 of them left.

I only had put one in the pasture, thinking Star wanted something to play with.

Both had been in the pasture for months with Libby and Poncho and they never touched them.

So I did not think twice about it.

(Hit self on head, "THINK")

 As I come home the next day, 

I see Star carrying it around and throwing it about.

I "thought" How cute!

Until I went out to pick it up!

 YOWZAAAAAA!

For three days I have been watching her!

Like a HAWK!

The pieces below is all I could find of the missing parts.

As you can see it is not nearly enough to make the thing whole again.

Star has had Diarrhea as you can see in the above picture.

Below is, One of Libby's (the bigger) and One of Star's.

She finally took a normal poop today! YEAH!

I put them side by side for comparison.

As I was doing this, 

Of course Libby, thought they were COOOOKIES!

Till she got a whif!

PeeeUEW!

Then I got to thinking.

I read where Donkey's digest and use up most of what they eat, and their bodies utilize most of the moisture from their grazing...

ummmm....

YEP!

I smelled them!

Star's had no odor whatsoever,

where as Libby's were pretty stinky!

I still did not find any green foam in there, 

but they were nicely shaped,

So I am hoping against hope that 

the foam got digested!

You would think they would make them digestible anyway.

They are for kids,

Anything made for kids, can be eaten!

Right?

I went an bought two traffic cones. 

So far she only sniffed at them.

Yesterday she was very skittish of me, and would not let me touch her.

So I took my bucket and went out into the pasture and SAT!

with my back to her.

Libby stood to the right of me.

I finally saw Star's shadow come up to mine.

She sniffed me all over.

She worked her way to my left.

Finally I looked at her and asked if I could pet her.

Her eyes said yes.

I got my Donkey kisses.

Once I start to pet her, 

she just melts and I can pet her all over.

It is getting that first touch in.

I have been doing the
"Donkey Cram" on the internet.

Trying to learn all there is out there.

I learned that Donkey's REMEMBER things.

They also have a thought process where instead of using the

Flight method like a horse, they will study the situation first.

Star does study a lot.

When I go out to visit with her, 

she will not let me touch her right away.
She shys away from me.

This bothers me.

So I spend a lot of time with my back to her, and let her make the first move.

I know I am the one that took her away from her home.

She might be holding a grudge.

I do not give her chocolate donuts like her other mom did.

Maybe she thinks I don't love her.

So today I went out with Whinny power!

I figured if this doesn't break the ice, 

I would be back at square one!

So off I go, with Two Whinny Cookies in hand.

Of course Libby knew exactly what I had.

I broke them into 4 smaller pieces each.

Makes them last longer.

Star gobbled up each of her 4 pieces.

She could not get enough of them!

I was her best buddy today!

She followed me all around.

She let me pet her right away.

So I got my donkey hugs and kisses today.

 I have found that Star is not very cool with the camera.

She is not sure what it is.

Even though I have let her sniff it.

She does not like the noise it makes.

So I keep snapping pictures,

because if you live here,

you have to learn to be a STAR!

 Libby is a camera hog!

 Star: "Does this thing produce cooookies?"

Libby: "No Star, but I bet she has some extra's in her pockets!"

 Star following me.

 Star still not sure of the camera.

Maybe I will let her see the images next time.

Today I was her best friend.

After a few scratches and pets,

I would turn away and walk.

She would follow.

Yesterday felt like I was loosing the battle.

Today I felt like I made progress with her.

 I love the shadow image.

More handouts?

After I spent about an hour out there,

It was time for me to go in, because I was quite cold.

Star laid down to rest.

I just love the cross on her back!

So in my trial of new Donkey ownership,

I pray that I take good care of her.

I just asked her to guide me along the way.

.